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RSSBack Issue: March, 2008The Poison PostPosted March 31st, 2008 by Jen in education, family life, health/cooking/food11 Comments » I had a terrible scare this afternoon that led me to even know the following information:
Well, I did not want to write this post and have put it off, because I hate those stupid emails about freakish things that could happen to you. I always delete them, and just today a friend sent me an email about all the symptoms of a deadly form of breast cancer. I just can’t handle it all. HOWEVER, because MY CHILD just today nearly poisoned himself to death, I do feel compelled to give you all a reminder about Tips to Prevent Poisonings. I just wrote a post this morning about how Little L got into Big L’s candy basket. He is just one of those kids. He is 3 1/2, loves sweet things, and he is naughty, sneaky, and dishonest, God bless his cute little cheeks. We are working on all of these issues. And DAMN IT, children’s medicine is SWEET. I’m sorry, I’m just really angry about that right now. I couldn’t find Little L. He was supposed to be playing with Big L and the girls on the porch. They didn’t know where he was. I raced into the kitchen and there he was, and he blurted out, “I didn’t drink the medicine!” WHOA, what?? Thank you, Jesus, that the boy had a guilty conscience. Of course, I immediately knew he must have gotten into the Children’s Tylenol, because it wasn’t where I had stupidly left it on the counter in plain sight (and obviously with a lid not completely secure). Little L eventually led me to Grandma’s bathroom, where he had gone into hiding to do his evil deed. There on her toilet seat was the nearly empty bottle of Children’s Tylenol and I FREAKED OUT. Yes, completely. I had enough sense to call Poison Control, which phone number is posted on my refrigerator (Parents, take note, please have this number posted: 1-800-222-1222). The operator was wonderful. She was calm, and since I wasn’t, that was immensely helpful. Be prepared to know the weight of your child, have the bottle in your hand, and DO NOT take your child’s word about how much he ingested. Little L told me he had “just a little bit, Mommy,” but if memory served me, the bottle that was 3/4 full was now almost empty. And for the sake of LIFE, please keep your medicines locked up and NEVER refer to them as candy. She talked me through the ordeal. The total capacity of the bottle was 4 ounces, at 80 mg per 1/2 teaspoon. I measured what was left: 2 Tablespoons. We figured Little L had drunk 4 Tablespoons, based on what was left over and what was originally in the bottle. THANKFULLY, even though that sounded like enough to endanger his life, it was not a toxic level. This, folks, is why those bottles of Children’s Tylenol are so darn small. Poison prevention. Had this been ADULT medicine, this story would have a different ending. I was advised to have Little L drink some water to dilute the medicine in his tummy. He laid down and slept for two hours. This close call really rattled me. I held all of my little ones tighter and counted my blessings. And clearly, I need to get a handle on my casual way of leaving medicine on the counter. Dad and I had a talk with all of the children about medicine, and how it is POISON if taken in the wrong amount. Based on information I’ve read today, children who have episodes like Little L today are likely to do it again. So, here is a list I’m copying from the Centers for Disease Control website for your safety: Keep Young Children Safe from Poisoning • Put the poison control number, 1-800-222-1222, on or near every home telephone and save it on your cell phone. The line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to do if a poisoning occurs 1. Remain calm • the victim’s age and weight 3. Stay on the phone and follow the instructions from the emergency operator or poison control center. God bless you, dear friend, as you parent and care for your little ones. I’m tucking Little L into bed now. Technorati Tags: children, Poison Control, medicine safety Business 101 From an Eight-Year-OldPosted by Jen in education, family life, the office11 Comments » Hello, and welcome to Business 101. Today, I share a story from my lovely family. I am Mom, Dad is my husband, Big L is our eight-year-old son and first-born genius. There is also Little L, the three-year-old who hangs around the fringes of this story, and not to be forgotten, the girls (in between the bookend boys), JJ and JoJo. Principle #1: Never Miss an Opportunity Big L doesn’t like candy. He just never has. He’ll eat an occasional Smarty, and perhaps a Skittle every blue moon. Give him a piece of bread, oh, he loves bread, but the candy he’ll pass. There IS an exception. We had the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Aunt & Uncle’s house, and Big L was caught up in the wild excitement. He collected 43 eggs, all brightly colored and filled with candy. The fact that candy is not one of his indulgences was no matter. Big L had a plan. Several days after Easter, he set up shop at our dining room table. He earned about $3.25 from his sisters who love candy, and were more than happy to buy his goods after they’d gobbled up their own baskets. “That will be 10 cents,” he’d say, eyeing the size of the candy. And “If you buy three, you get one free,” he would bargain. Even Mom and Dad bought some. (Some merchandise was eaten by Little L while he was “napping” one afternoon, else Big L would have earned much more.) Principle #2: Fill a Need This morning, Big L asked Dad a question: “Dad, what is something that every human needs?” I overheard the conversation, and thought perhaps Big L had a new joke, or a trick question. “I don’t know…why do you ask?” said Dad, not sure where the conversation was headed. “Well, I was thinking about inventing things, and figured I should make something that everyone would need, so they would buy it.” Dad was amazed at the eight-year-old’s business sense! He has a business degree in marketing and management and can spot good business principles (though, honestly, such common sense does not come by degree). Being an entrepreneur himself, Dad was amused to see his son following in his footsteps. When Dad was not much older than Big L, he started a detective agency, a candy store, and a football league. These little adventures into industry were short lived and not exactly successful, but are great examples of a child’s business mind at work. Dad had a string of other businesses in his young life, and continues to this day with new ideas. He encourages this inventiveness in his sons and daughters. He sat Big L down and told him all about patents and the role of the patent in American life as a protection and encouragement for new ideas - new ideas which have shaped America’s amazing progressions in science and medicine and agriculture and other areas. Dad has promised Big L that if he comes up with a really useful and unique invention, he will help him obtain a patent. For real. Even eight-year-olds should be given the opportunity to be the next Thomas Edison. p.s. Lest you think our girls are any less business savvy or industrious, they melted down all the chocolate purchased from their big brother, and attempted to sell it at a much higher price to Mom and Dad. You should have seen the smooth division of labor: JoJo did the purchasing (as she just had a birthday and was the one with more money), while JJ made up the recipe for “Roasted Chocolate” with a fancy recipe card and all, and kept driving up the price.
Technorati Tags: children, home education, homeschool, business, Easter eggs Altura Maxima: High Altitude Viticulture in ArgentinaPosted March 30th, 2008 by Jen in features, health/cooking/food, history, product review3 Comments »
After a visit to the southern part of Salta in 1996, with his wife Ursula, Don Hess was directed to Cafayate, the center of wine production in the region. It was there that he drank an intriguing Malbec-Cabernet blend from Colomé, and there that he began fermenting the idea that he could plant a world class vineyard at over 9000 feet. As Hess explained,
Hess now owns a vineyard in Colomé, along with a stunning hotel and art gallery which he built, about a four hours’ drive from Salta, in northwest Argentina. Colomé’s vineyards include century old vines that pre-date the deadly vine disease phylloxera, being planted on original French rootstock. This land encompasses about 96,000 acres, and then, of course, there is the 60,000 acres at Altura Maxima (near Payogasta) and another 865 acres at nearby El Arenal. Currently, just under 300 acres are being cultivated. It’s the Altura Maxima property that is gaining fame these days, as this vineyard currently holds the world record for vineyard at the highest altitude. In a country where bottles of wine are marked with the specific altitudes of their vineyards, there is a machismo contest going on amongst the landlords over who can go the highest. To give an idea of the heights, the California vineyards top out at 3,000 feet, and Europe at 4,300 feet. In Argentina, vineyards average 5,500 feet, and Altura Maxima boasts vineyards at close to 10,000 feet. The high altitude, while still a very experimental thing, is thought to be viticulturally advantageous. The extreme elevations give the vines an abundance of solar radiation, and some researchers think this increases the level of healthy polyphenols in red wine. The thinner air and lower humidity seem to cause the grapes to develop thicker skins, resulting in a more flavorful, aromatic, and tannic grape. Argentina is clearly a special place for Donald and Ursula Hess, who now spend half the year there. They love the people, and in fact, when they bought Colomé, they inherited not only the oldest winery in Argentina, dating back to 1831, but also its 400 inhabitants. Hess has been kind to these natives, who previously were forced into slave labor. Colomé employs at least one person from each extended family. Hess takes time to train them, provides them with health insurance and has built facilities to meet their needs: a clinic, community center, and church. Hess also takes great care of the land itself. At Colomé, he installed an Italian-made hydro-electic turbine for energy, he grows everything from the vines to the food he cultivates for the hotel using traditional biodynamic principles, and the entire estate is self-sufficient. You’ll find sheep and cattle there producing organic meat and milk, and their manure fertilizing the vines and gardens. If you think you might want to go start a vineyard, keep in mind the timetable. Hess realizes that Argentina will probably be the cap of his career, because these ventures take a great deal of not only money, but time. Here is his projection:
Time will tell if Donald Hess’ high altitude experiment will pay off. As he battles the unique hurdles of the region - frost, hail, wild donkeys, minimum oxygen, and the Argentine leaf-cutting ant (which destroyed 13 acres of his first planting), Hess still presses on. The Hess Group produces four wines at its Colomé vineyards, just three of which you can find in the United States in very limited quantities: Colomé Torrontes, Colomé Estate Malbec, and Colomé Reserva. If you have the opportunity to travel to Argentina, you’ll want to stay at Hess’ Estancia Colomé. photo credit: Estancia Colomé and USA Today Technorati Tags: Argentina, biodynamic viticulture, Coloma, Donald Hess, organic farming, high altitude viticulture, Salta, vineyard, viticulture, wine making, winery The Appalachian AccentPosted March 28th, 2008 by Jen in family life, history30 Comments » It’s Aloha Friday over at An Island Life. Time to post a fun question for you, and be sure to check out the other participants at the link above. My question for today:
Here is my answer, and I’d love to hear from you… My dad was proud to a “hillbilly” from West Virginia and quite enjoyed referring to himself as such. He loved his native state and often spoke (in his southern drawl) of Appalachia’s rugged mountains and rivers (and cricks and hollers). And can you believe he had my oldest sister baptized all swaddled up in the Confederate flag? Growing up (in Arizona and then Michigan), I never knew anyone else from West Virginia and hadn’t met my dad’s relatives. So I never made one particular connection - I had no idea he had an Appalachian accent. I was about 22. My dad had already died (cancer), and I was on a college trip to rural Appalachia with Habitat for Humanity. We were deep in the hills of Tennessee, and an older local gentleman who was helping our crew stopped to ask me a question. That moment is still vivid in my memory, because out of his mouth seemed to come my dad’s voice. Only then did I have the revelation. My dad was not the only person to speak with his peculiar dialect - he was one of many and belonged to a people that I suddenly felt connected to. Christian Carnival CCXVII: Attributes of God EditionPosted March 26th, 2008 by Jen in carnivals, religion11 Comments » Welcome to the Christian Carnival CCXVII: Attributes of God Edition! I am honored to present such an expansive and quality array of posts this week. I’ve arranged the posts around several attributes of God, using the wonderful little book Praying the Attributes of God by Rosemary Jensen (former director Bible Study Fellowship International) as my guide. I hope you’ll find some encouragement and insight here as we examine the character of God and read various spiritual thoughts from each of the authors below. 1. God is Accessible Deuteronomy 4:7: What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? Ephesians 3:12: In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
2. God is Creator Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Hebrews 3:4: Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
3. God is Eternal Isaiah 40:28: The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. Revelation 4:8: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.
4. God is Faithful Genesis 28:15: I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. 1 Peter 4:19: Those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
5. God is Good Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Matthew 7:11: If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
6. God is our Guide Psalm 23:2-3: He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. John 16:13: When he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
7. God is Holy Leviticus 19:2: Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” 1 John 1:5: This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, in him there is no darkness at all.
8. God is Impartial Deuteronomy 10:17: The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. Acts 10:34-35: I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
9. God is Immutable Psalm 33:11: The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Romans 11:29: God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
10. God is Jealous Exodus 34:14: Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. Ezekiel 39:25: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name.
11. God is Just Proverbs 17:3: The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart. 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
12. God is Love Isaiah 38:17: Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. Romans 5:8: God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
13. God is Merciful 2 Samuel 14:14: Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him. 1 Peter 5:10: The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
14. God is Provider Psalm 23:5-6: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Luke 22:35: Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered.
15. God is Savior Deuteronomy 32:39: I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. 1 Corinthians 1:18: The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
16. God is Wise Daniel 2:20-22: Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. Ephesians 3:10: His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.
Technorati Tags: blog carnival, Christian Carnival, Christianity, faith Oregon BeautyPosted March 25th, 2008 by Jen in carnivals, education, family life, france/french8 Comments »
This is a view of Mount Bachelor from Sparks Lake, from a hike we took last summer. Talk about The Perfect Day - we hiked and picnicked with dear family friends, and also our French exchange student. Of course, our French guest had to mention the Alps. Mount Bachelor is part of the Cascade Range, and is the youngest prominent volcano in the Three Sisters (three volcanic peaks) area. Apparently, none of the three sisters could win over the bachelor. Anyway, I had to give you something pretty to look at while I make some public service announcements. Get your submissions in for the Christian Carnival by tonight, Midnight ET. Submit here, and also, Parableman has further information on the carnival. Publishing right here at Diary of 1 tomorrow. Other blog carnivals of interest: Make It From Scratch This concludes the public service announcement. You may continue to gaze at Oregon beauty. Two homeschooling families on a log; same hike (my four kids on the right end):
Technorati Tags: blog carnival, Central Oregon, Christian Carnival, France, Mount Bachelor, Three Sisters Field of DreamsPosted March 24th, 2008 by Jen in family life, parenting4 Comments » “Is this heaven?” “No. Oregon Iowa.” If you’ve ever seen the movie Field of Dreams, you’ll recognize that dialogue between John Kinsella and his son Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner). And, of course, it was Iowa. But here’s the Oregon version, a few days ago, in our front field - Dad and the two older kids.
“We’re keeping this field.” Ray Kinsella.
Technorati Tags: baseball, children, Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner Christ is Risen, Happy Easter!Posted March 23rd, 2008 by Jen in persecuted church, politics/world news, religion1 Comment » Easter blessings to you all! Today I celebrate the reason I can live. Here is some wonderful news out of Italy, a Muslim converts to Christianity.
I will pray for Allam, and many like him, who has already received death threats from Hamas, and he now faces additional danger, as converting from Islam is apostasy and punishable by death. Though killings are rare, Islamic legal doctrine does call for the death penalty for rejecting Islam. Peace of Christ to you on this blessed Easter. HT to Crunchy Con Good Friday and Call for SubmissionsPosted March 21st, 2008 by Jen in blog stuff, carnivals, family life, holidays, religion1 Comment » I trust your Good Friday was good. This year, my little JoJo had her birthday on Good Friday. She enjoyed a happy celebration with many friends. As for me, I just loved all the moms who came and I basked in the rare opportunity to fellowship with all these ladies at once.
Here’s a verse that caught my eye as I thought about Good Friday, the day we commemorate the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I thought this was an appropriate response for believers; as Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, we can respond with a sacrifice of thanks. What struck me about this scripture was that our thank offerings help pave the way for our salvation! Having a thankful heart, a constant spirit of gratitude, is honoring to God and critical to our eternity. I’m hosting the upcoming Christian Carnival, and I hope you’ll consider submitting an article. You can click here to submit your post. This carnival publishes on March 26, and I need your submissions by Midnight Eastern Time on Tuesday, March 25. Here are two past Christian Carnivals I have hosted, if you’d like to see the format: Christian Carnival 189: Dietrich Bonhoeffer Edition Have a blessed Easter.
Technorati Tags: birthday party, blog carnival, Good Friday, Christian Carnival WW: Greetings From the GardenPosted March 19th, 2008 by Jen in the ranch20 Comments »
Here’s the Diary of 1 family waving to you from a pile of dirt our future garden. I love my garden stake. For more Wordless Wednesday participants, go to the WW hub or 5 Minutes for Mom. Technorati Tags: garden, dirt, garden stake, the ranch, wordless Wednesday Blog touringPosted by Jen in blog stuff, carnivals, product review, sports, the office1 Comment » Oh, the places you’ll go. Dr. Seuss. I’ve been wandering all around. The Christian carnivals, Carnival of Family Life, food blogs, homeschooling blogs, homesteading blogs, BendBlogs. And principled government. Whew, I’ve been to a lot of places, and more to go! Puss ReBoots thinks I rock. Wow, what a compliment! I’m passing this blog award on to: Sometimes I’m Actually Coherent Check out these blogs that rock - I think you might agree. Announcing the winners of my sports products Giveaway: Living For God: New York Giants Rug Congratulations to these blogging winners! St. Patrick’s Day Meal from my sisPosted March 17th, 2008 by Jen in family life, health/cooking/food, holidays5 Comments » Mondays are my busiest day of the week, and I had nothing prepared to post for St. Patrick’s Day. My sister Heather has bailed me out. She called earlier and was telling me about the Irish soda bread she was baking with dinner. I begged her to stop in her tracks and email me the recipe, along with commentary, so I’d have something to post! So, here’s her email, and Heather, it’s horribly unfair that you got all the craftiness in the family. My St. Patrick’s Day Menu: *A wonderfully traditional corned beef brisket that has been slow cooking all day in the crock pot- it is literally falling apart- yummy! Since we do not imbibe of the green beer- which I sincerely doubt is really very Irish anyway and likely an American adulteration- I’ll probably just make some green kool-aid to appease the kids who’ll want something green to drink! Do you remember Mom making that Irish Soda Bread? That is a fond memory of mine as she made it often when we were young, along with her Boston Brown Bread that she baked in those coffee cans. She was really a very good baker- I also recall her awesome cream puffs…. mmm- getting hungry here- it’s almost dinnertime. Mom really enjoyed baking when we were still quite small. But, back to the Day- St. Patrick’s! I could not make anything else but Corned Beef and Irish Soda Bread today- perhaps in honor of our Irish grandmother, Mary Kincaid- or just because that Irish Soda Bread is so very, very good, right out of the oven, with a crusty top split into a cross, soft and warm inside- sliced and slathered with butter! If you get a chance- you should make it again- here’s Mom’s recipe (culled from the old church cookbook I still have): 4 cups sifted flour
Enjoy! A Fast from AskingPosted by Jen in family life, parenting, religion5 Comments »
I am worn down to raw nerves from everlasting requests for a glass of water, more apples, a new spoon because mine fell on the floor, my clothes because I’m too lazy to go upstairs and get them myself, a certain book, a new train, a bike, a bunny, a horse. Times four. We’ve somehow gotten into a very bad habit of asking for things, often without even thinking or without having a great need. Just because. I know it could be much worse. The kids don’t watch TV (just videos) and so are spared the incessant barrage of commercials. They don’t attend a regular school so they have a reprieve from coveting the latest styles and gadgets of their classmates. However, because we humans are selfish by nature, we still have to battle the Stuff Monster. So, I gathered the children and explained that we would spend the next two days REFRAINING from ASKING for anything, save for the bare necessities of life. Like, I need some toilet paper in the bathroom. I explained to the kids that it’s become a bad habit, that it’s wearing me out, and that it goes against God’s words about not being gluttonous, greedy, materialistic, selfish, and covetous. They all listened attentively. My six year old daughter had just one question: What will we get if we do this? AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHH!
Technorati Tags: children, Christianity, fasting, greed, materialism Feudi di San Gregorio: Southern Italy’s Ancient VinesPosted March 16th, 2008 by Jen in features, health/cooking/food, history, product review3 Comments » Italy’s tiny village of Sorbo Serpico in Campania’s Irpinia region is home to the highly acclaimed Feudi di San Gregorio estate, established in 1986. For many years this southern Italian area was overlooked by other winemaking powerhouses to the north, but the folks at Feudi have tapped into the incredible potential of Campania’s unique terroir and ancient varietals. Close to Mt. Vesuvius, the land is layered with mineral-rich deposits of volcanic ash, remarkably favorable to vines, producing a grape with very distinctive flavors and aromas. Many of the vines used by Feudi di San Gregorio are centuries old, including the oldest Aglianico vines in the country, a grape with origins in ancient Greece. When a food writer and wine lover set out to find Italy’s oldest vineyard, his quest eventually led to one of Feudi di San Gregorio’s vineyards, about which he was told:
This is an ancient grapevine, not a tree:
Enzo Ercolino and his wife Mirella Capaldo started Feudi di San Gregorio, and along with Italian enologist Riccardo Cotarella, they have taken every advantage of the natural conditions of Campania, and added a modern technology twist to make exquisite modern wines from ancient vines. You will not find them stomping grapes with their feet, despite the ancient history. Feudi di San Gregorio took a high spending approach, building a $25 million winery and hospitality center.
And the wine, ah, I hear it’s good.
photo credits: New York Times, Vinography
Technorati Tags: aglianico, Campania, Feudi di San Gregorio, Italy, ancient vines, viticulture, technology, vineyard, wine making, winery Happy Birthday and The Story of My MomPosted March 15th, 2008 by Jen in family life6 Comments » My mom turned 79 years old today. Happy birthday, Mom. Here’s my post from her last birthday. And, I dug up something I wrote three years ago about my mother. It’s the first part of a longer story, and please, it’s very unpolished and dusty from just sitting for three years, so have a little mercy! Here it is: Mom and Jane I remember how my heart quickened as I drove around the corner toward our big red house and caught sight of the plump, brownish-gray haired woman wearing a pretty, white knit sweater. It was early spring in Central Oregon, and hope hung in the air as the snows melted and the ever-present sunshine began to coax tender plants through the earth. The woman was slowly walking to the community mailbox, leaning a bit on her silver cane. An elderly woman living on my block, I couldn’t believe my luck. I’m sure she’ll be perfect, I had thought eagerly. I pulled into my driveway and quickly unloaded the four kids. I raced to the pantry, scouring it for some small token to give to the lady. I found an unopened container of green tea from Trader Joe’s, a reminder of our recent move from Eugene to Redmond, Oregon, which was sadly lacking my favorite store. This will work, I half smiled to myself with satisfaction, brushing away the hint of selfishness that arose at the thought of parting with this precious commodity. I hastily tied a red ribbon around it and dashed out the front door. She was gone. Mom had been living with me for several years, and my constant desire was for her to have friends. Even one friend. At age 76, it was becoming harder for her to get out and she tired easily. But the truth is that she’d spent a lifetime without being meaningfully connected to anyone outside of family. This didn’t appear to bother her, but it disturbed me to no end. I’m such a social creature that it seemed like a sad existence to me. I panicked when, six years earlier, she had suddenly announced she was moving from her family home of Michigan out to Oregon, where I had already relocated. No one but me to look after her, I had thought with dread, accompanied by guilt for having such broodings. Days went by with me scanning the street for the older woman I’d seen walking to the mailbox. I kept the box of green tea in my van, just in case. I was pretty sure she lived in the yellow house on the corner, and even walked down with the kids a few times to knock on the door, but no answer. Chance would eventually win out, considering she retrieved her mail daily, and I was driving back and forth several times a day, chauffering kids to preschool, getting groceries, and running other errands that stay-at-home moms fill their days with. So the day came, not a week later, when I drove around the corner and spotted the little lady. “Look, kids, it’s her!” I practically shouted, turning our white mini-van into the curb. They had been on the lookout for her all week, too, as I had explained that we should be good neighbors and invite her over to meet Grandma Daniel. I leaned out my window and waved to her, chattering so fast I don’t know if she understood a word I said. “I live in the two-story red house over there,” I said, pointing to the cute, craftsman-style home. “My mother lives with me, and I’d like you to come meet her sometime.” “Oh, and here’s a little gift for you,” I said, thrusting the box of tea out the window. It didn’t occur to me at the time that it might strike her as odd that a complete stranger was carrying around a present for her. “Thank you,” she said with a mix of sweetness and astonishment. “My name is Jane.” Two days later, I ushered the sought-after woman through my door. “Mom,” I yelled up the stairs, “come and meet Jane, she lives on our street. I’ve invited her over for tea.” Mom was also aware that I’d been pursuing this neighbor, but in her reticent manner hadn’t initiated any efforts herself. “Jane, this is my mother, Daniel,” I had said with a nagging embarrassment. “Danielle?” Jane replied. “No,” I answered for Mom, feeling a rush of color on my cheeks. “It’s Daniel.” I didn’t want to explain that she’d changed her name because she believed that God told her to, in a vision that involved Daniel of the Bible. I desperately wanted to say, “Her name is really Nelda,” but I couldn’t bring myself to dishonor my mother’s convictions. It had been almost ten years since she had legally changed her name, but I still couldn’t get used to introducing her that way. What would Jane think of my mother? As crazy as I thought my mom was, she did have a sense of duty and social justice. She had spent an entire year painting her face black in an effort to show solidarity with African Americans. Never mind she had a black man pull a knife on her outside of an all-black church where she was showing up on Sundays. They saw it as mockery, not solidarity. And I’ll never forget when, at my innocent age of 10, she insisted I sign a contract she had written, stating that I would never drink alcohol. She took similar petitions around to the neighbors. I had spent a lifetime enduring never-ending eccentric behavior, and only now, well into my 30s, was I beginning, just barely, to see through to a beautiful soul. As we sat around the table sipping tea, I noticed the unique blend of similarities and differences between these two older women. Jane, like Mom, was short, barely five feet tall, but more ample than my petite mother. Jane’s stylish outfit, bright lipstick and manicured nails told me she was probably a society girl in her day. On the other hand, I’d never known my mom to wear makeup or care about her clothes, though she was naturally quite pretty. Jane liked to talk, Mom liked to listen. And I discovered that Jane indeed was about the age of my mother, though I expected her to be perhaps a decade younger, based on her flawless, porcelain skin. “You’re not 80!” I had gasped in disbelief when she revealed her age. Spring was now in full swing, with signs of life dashing here and there. Neighbors mowed their lawns, children drew chalk pictures on the sidewalks, and the sweet smell of flowers was almost intoxicating. A new season and a new energy infused our household as well. Mom went about the house whistling a little tune, and several days after the first tea-time with Jane, the two women began walking. I could hardly hold back my great surprise when Mom had come downstairs that morning to use the telephone. It’s hard to believe, but I could not recall a time when she had ever phoned a friend. “Hi, Jane, this is Daniel. Would you like to walk this morning?” It was a 30 second conversation, the first of many such half-minute calls. I was delighted with this blossoming friendship, but that delight was underlaid with a touch of anxiety. Will it last? Jane would prove to calm my fears, however, and accepted my mother for who she was. Jane enjoyed Mom’s quirkiness, and with a giggle she would tell me that she always called my mom “Danielle.” And Mom proved to hold her own. Always the introvert, she nevertheless found it within her to carry on endless dialogue with Jane. My children were a great source of conversation, and Mom would relay their latest antics. For these older women of the same generation, it was also comforting to speak of the past days, The War, The Depression, lost loves. “My Cory loved to play cards,” Jane would begin, and launch into a humorous story of her beloved, deceased husband. “When we lived on the ranch,” Mom would reply, “Andy used to shoot the rattlesnakes with his revolver.” ******THE END of Part I Technorati Tags: birthday, Central Oregon, friendship, making friends, mother, introverts, relationships A Three Year Old and a FishPosted March 13th, 2008 by Jen in family life, religion14 Comments »
But it was all just too much. As you can see, that’s enough food for several schools. I happened upon the bathroom today, and the betta fish was lying on her side (my daughter just knows it’s a girl), and only the faintest twitch told me she was still alive, but quickly approaching her final moments. The boy had found his opportunity. He was soundly disciplined and we await the moment when “your father gets home.” The real details emerged from my four-year-old daughter. I thought the curious child just really wanted to feed the fish. But, he must have spilled his guts to his other sister, because she tattled confided to me the terrible truth. “He was trying to catch the fish, and he couldn’t, so he got mad and dumped in the food and some soap.” Oh, how my heart sank. Not just an innocent mistake, but acting in anger. We’ll be having some earnest discussions over here, dealing with controlling our anger, true repentance, forgiveness, and asking God to change our hearts. What a wonderful, terrible, teachable moment. In the meantime, my precious, mourning daughter had me record her memories:
Technorati Tags: betta fish, children, fish, fish food, death of pet, teachable moment Hello Sports Fan, Doesn’t Anyone Want Free Stuff??Posted by Jen in giveaways, the office4 Comments » I’ve had a dismal response to my Sports Giveaway, which ends tomorrow! (I’ll extend it if I have to). I shouldn’t complain, I’ve done next to nothing to promote it, and my main readers (Christian-women-moms-teachers-homeschoolers) are clearly not big sports fans. Ladies, I don’t blame you a bit, I just have a business to run. The products and information are posted HERE (read down past the “blog party” stuff). I’ve done several giveaways, but never including so many high quality products - check it out and support a family business. Technorati Tags: contest, Dallas Cowboys tire cover, giveaway, New York Giants rug, Pittsburgh Steelers thermos, prizes, Ohio State watch, Georgia Tech Trailer Hitch Cover, sports business Is this a Christian song or a coffee commercial?Posted March 12th, 2008 by Jen in music, religion4 Comments » This is a poignant song by some very talented ladies, but darn it, I mistake it for a Folger’s commercial every time. I thought it was just me. But I confessed to my husband this evening that Point of Grace was sounding like an old coffee jingle, like…, “Folgers,” he finished my sentence. It’s the first lines that get me - one of Folger’s commercials starts with “Every day I wake up,” and Point of Grace (How You Live) says “Wake up to the sunlight.” That wake up part, with the same sort of rhythm and feel, and suddenly I’m grabbing for that second cup.
Technorati Tags: coffee, commercial, Folger’s Coffee, How You Live, Point of Grace, Folger’s coffee commercial, Christian music, TV jingle My TestimonyPosted March 11th, 2008 by Jen in religion12 Comments » Can I get a witness? I’ve created my own little “meme” and it’s about the most important subject to me, my faith in God and life in Christ. More than anything, I like to hear people’s stories of their faith journey - their testimony. Here is a bit of mine, and, if you’d like to share yours, too, just use this template and fill in your own answers. Leave me a comment and let me know if you participate, I’d love to read everyone’s! 1. When did you become a Christian?
2. Was there anyone instrumental in your decision to be a Christian?
3. Were there any difficulties to overcome in your early walk with God?
4. How did your life change after committing yourself to Christ?
5. Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
6. What does it mean for you today to be a Christian?
7. Any last words?
I’m randomly “tagging” some bloggers to do this meme, but if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged! Chrysalis By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:8 Technorati Tags: Christianity, God, habits, testimony, witness Sneaking permission to get on the blanketPosted March 10th, 2008 by Jen in carnivals, family life5 Comments » We have a stone cold floor. Slippers or at least socks are a must in the winter and even spring to keep your toes from a bluish frost. In fact, it’s a rule for the children to put socks on in the morning so they aren’t tempted to huddle by the heater for hours. JoJo dragged a few blankets down this morning, and like the cute, imaginative four-year-old girl she is, began to cocoon herself into a warm ball. With just her head now poking out from her fuzzy yellow swathe, she informed her little brother that NO, he could not come in - “You have socks on, you’re warm.” She, however, had broken the rule and was sockless. Moments later, I heard, “JoJo, I’m cold, now I can come in.” Having stealthily shoved his socks aside, his bare feet were now the proof that he deserved to snuggle in the blanket with her. ******* Catching up on reading: Christian thoughts, more Christian thoughts, family life, homeschool life, homesteading, travel, more homesteading, making things from scratch. Maragas Winery: An Oregon High Desert ExperimentPosted March 9th, 2008 by Jen in features, health/cooking/food, product review4 Comments »
Doug, a Greek/Italian with a long family history of wine making, and his wife Gina, half-Italian herself, seem the perfect couple to be taking on this historic task. The idea for Maragas Winery was first dreamed up by the couple in 1999, and by 2001 Maragas had produced its first vintage - out of a four-bay garage on the east side of Bend, and by 2003 in a nice downtown Bend location. But all this with grapes from outside of Central Oregon - currently the Maragas wine is made from the grapes of Western and Southern Oregon, and California.
So, I can imagine Doug Maragas paying the great amount of money that winemakers must pay for grapes, and saying, “I can do better.” And like his grandmother, doing it all against the odds and with great tenacity, despite the risks. You may wonder why Maragas Winery is the only one operating in Central Oregon. Goodness, vineyards abound in the Willamette Valley of Oregon where the Pinot Noirs are as famous as anything from the Napa Valley. The freezing winter temperatures are probably the biggest deterrent. Spring and fall frosts can also be deadly to the crop - as Gina says, it can frost here at any old time, and lastly, Central Oregon has a short growing season. There simply must be enough heat to ripen the fruit. There is some encouraging news, however.
With help from the Oregon State University viticulture experts, Maragas carefully picked 16 of the heartiest varieties most likely to survive and thrive and produce an excellent wine. The Maragases opted to not plant any hybrids at this point (which are actually more suited to cold-climate growing), instead cultivating the traditional Vitis vinifera varieties because of their status as the best-tasting wine grapes. So far, they have planted a one-acre pilot vineyard, to test the varieties before choosing the vines for the remainder of the acreage. It will take about three years to know the results. The first vines are now springing forth with new buds, a hopeful sign of an agricultural breakthrough that will someday soon christen Central Oregon as wine country. photo credits: Maragas Winery, Google Images, Wines and Vines. Technorati Tags: Maragas Winery, Central Oregon winery, vineyard, wine making, winery My Ultimate Blog Party 2008 & A GiveawayPosted March 8th, 2008 by Jen in blog stuff, carnivals, sports, the office22 Comments »
Welcome, I’m so glad you stopped by! The 5 Minutes for Mom blog is hosting another Ultimate Blog Party, which is basically a “carnival” to meet other mom bloggers and surely win some prizes! The idea is to go to their sites and browse through the hundreds of mom-bloggers who’ve linked up there - get your own blog noticed and get acquainted with some you’ve never encountered. So, if you’ve come here through 5 Minutes for Mom and have never noticed me before, here is my introduction:
We changed my blog format last month, and I’m really excited to see where this goes. You’ll notice on my main page that I have a monthly topic, and each week I publish a “feature” article. Last month was famous artists, this month is vineyards, next month will be highlighting some of my industrious girlfriends who have their own businesses. This new endeavor has been a blast - sometimes, I just need a little direction and my features keep me focused as I explore topics that I want to learn more about. I still blog in between my features about the other issues that are very important to me, like education, faith, family life, and world news. Thank you, those of you who check in here regularly - I can’t tell you how enjoyable it’s been to meet people from all over the world, some of you even in real life! And are you ready for my prizes?? Of course, these all come from my business, which happens to be a sports-themed store, so if that’s up your alley, here’s the list of truly excellent products: 1. New York Giants Rug TO WIN, just go follow each link, browse around TeamMASCOT to see what other items you like, and come back here and leave me a comment, telling me which product you’d like to win. You will get special consideration if you mention this contest on your blog and link to TeamMASCOT! And that would just be really nice of you. Let me know if you link. But, you do not have to be a blogger to win. I’ll choose 5 winners (in honor of 5 Minutes for Mom) on March 14, the end of the Ultimate Blog Party. Be sure to fill in your email in the comment form so I can notify you if you’re a winner! Oh, and you don’t even have to be a mom to win! Thanks again for stopping by, and I hope you come back soon!
Technorati Tags: blogging, children, giveaway, contest, prizes, sports business, ultimate blog party Bone and Stones and More at the RanchPosted March 6th, 2008 by Jen in family life, the ranch13 Comments » It’s a child’s playground at the ranch, and always a unique adventure around the corner. Here are thirteen snapshots of my kids enjoying the land around our ranch, and they would like to invite their friends to come and: 1. Catch a lizard 2. Ride a tractor 3. Investigate old bones 4. Dig up interesting stones 5. Collect feathers | ||||
It’s 
The multimillionaire Swiss-born entrepreneur and winery magnate Donald Hess is switching his attention from Napa to a remote region of the Andes foothills in Argentina, in the province called Salta. In 2001, Hess added the Argentina holdings to his existing vineyards in California, South Africa, and Australia.
I told my kids that we are going on a two day fast from asking for things. I saw over at Heather’s that her family was 
The sleek new wine cellar has capacity for 5,000 barrels, and their state-of-the-art technology includes vineyards equipped with solar-powered meteorological stations which are constantly gathering weather data. This high tech method actually minimizes the need for artificial viticulture. The Feudi di San Gregorio estate also includes a gourmet 
The crime scene, exactly as I found it. The three-year-old coveted his six- year-old sister’s fish. He knows he is too little to feed the fish. We’ve warned him about putting foreign objects in the fish tank. And never is he to use the fish net and attempt to catch the fish.
The face of Central Oregon farming is changing, and wine grapes are the newcomer. Doug and Gina Maragas are the owners of 
At this point, it’s helpful to know that Doug Maragas had a very industrious Greek grandmother. Anna Maragas and her husband owned a grocery store in Canton, Ohio in the 1940s. When good oranges were nowhere to be found, she said, “I can do better,” and set off to California. By herself. And came back with a train car full of delicious oranges, somehow obtained on credit. Anna began brokering fruit, and eventually grapes, up and down the west coast, her tenacity landing her with the only train car permit to do so during the war. Once the good lady had her hands on some fine grapes, she did what any industrious woman would do - she began to make wine.
The new Maragas Winery and Vineyard, completed in November 2006, is located about 20 miles north of Bend in a fortuitous microclimate. The 40-acre property is at a lower elevation and gets more sun than other parts of Central Oregon, possesses a beneficial sandy loam, volcanic soil, and most advantageous, is protected by rock cliffs that serve to draw cold air away from the vines.
I’m 
My husband got me into blogging one year ago, as an experiment in marketing. He designed my lovely site and enjoys tinkering with it - myself, I have NO clue how to program and have trouble placing simple icons in my sidebar. Well, I discovered to my amazement that I loved to write and now I can’t stop! My husband and I have always made a nice business partnership - he creates businesses, I manage them; he programs, I write. Except for that one day early on when he fired me and I quit all in the same breath. Oh, we’ve come a long way, baby.
